


Safety.

by tripodscorpion



Category: Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:21:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28300779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tripodscorpion/pseuds/tripodscorpion
Summary: As Aruto is being tortured by Horobi, he makes one final attempt to tell Izu how he feels.
Relationships: Hiden Aruto/Izu
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Safety.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PinkRangerToni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkRangerToni/gifts).



"Well, To think that this day has finally come," Horobi smirked gleefully as he circled a bloody and beaten Aruto, eyes glinting a faint purple in delight. Aruto lay on the floor and wheezed for breath as he glanced around the room. Around in the darkness, stood the other members of MetsuboJinrai, their own eyes reflecting out of the pitch black like predators stalking their prey. Among them, Aruto spotted a familiar pair, ones that should have been comforting and full of warmth but now filled him with disappointment. Not in her, never in her but in himself for failing to show her that humans were not her enemies. 

"Izu," Aruto croaked causing Horobi to cackle cruelly.

"What?" Horobi mocked him. "You think after all you have done that she's going to come crawling back to you to save the day? You're twice as pathetic as I ever thought you were, Hiden Aruto,"

Aruto gritted his teeth, ignoring the leader, instead choosing to reach out to his former friend. 

"Izu, please," He rasped.

Izu blinked slowly at him, tipping her head to one side in confusion. Aruto winced at her lack of response, a wave of shame flowing through him. She had every right to leave him, to want to rebel, to want to live freely rather than live by some idiot's side, taking care of him for the rest of their lives. That last part hurt Aruto more than it should have. She didn't feel the way he did. She didn't want to waste the rest of her life with him. 

"I'm done playing games now," Horobi decided with a dark, sinister almost condescending tone as he slammed his foot into Aruto's back, trapping Aruto against the floor and causing the young man to scream out in pain and scrunch his eyes closed. "Once the world sees you die, they'll finally realize that humagears are not just robots created for their enjoyment but beings with real emotions, who refuse to live under the human's filthy grasp,"

"Any final words, Zero One?" Jin snickered. "You won't live much longer,"

Aruto coughed and spluttered, as he looked up, his vision blurry. 

"I-Izu," He stammered, smiling weakly up at her. Her response was merely a blank expression. "I-I never intended to hurt you the way I did. All those times I prattled on about how humagears deserved more but I neglected your own interests at the same time. What a hypocritical idiot I turned out to be. You mean more than that to me and I-I'm sorry I never showed you,"

Izu's expression morphed, only slightly but now Izu's eyes were full of concern. 

"Pack it up, Mister President," Horobi snarked. "You don't have all day,"

"I-Izu, I love you. Goodbye," Aruto closed his eyes and waited for the final strike, the one that would inevitably send him to his grave. Seconds ticked by but nothing happened. Aruto was still breathing and suddenly, the weight on his back lifted unnaturally off of his back like Horobi had begun to float. Hesitantly, the young man opened his eyes to find Kamen Rider Izu standing over him, holding Horobi up by his shirt. 

Horobi struggled in her grip. "Izu," he hissed, eyes shooting daggers at the girl. "What are you doing?"

"What I deem necessary," She spat back, launching Horobi away from Aruto and towards Jin, knocking the humagear to the ground with the sheer weight of his father's added to his own. Izu turned to look towards Aruto, and pulled him up.

"Run," she commanded, taking Aruto firmly by the hand and leading him away from the members of Metsubojinrai. Aruto staggered after her, his legs weak from the previous attack Horobi had committed against his body. Izu ensured he kept up though, their fingers intertwined as she lead them through the warehouse. Behind him, Aruto could hear the voices of the angered Humagears as they gave chase to the fleeing duo.

They didn't make it too far though as soon Aruto's weakened knees buckled beneath him, dragging the Kamen Rider down with him. Within seconds, Horobi, Naki, Jin and Ikazuchi had them surrounded. Izu held Aruto close to her, her expression hidden behind her helmet. 

"You have betrayed us Izu," Horobi warned. "Now you will die as well,"

"Not if we can help it," The familiar, angelic voice of Yua called as she shot four blasts at the rogue humagears, causing them to stumble out of the way to avoid the attack. Next to her was Fuwa, holding his own gun at the ready should anybody who wasn't supposed to, moved. 

"Izu. We're more than enough to take them," Yua called, never taking her eyes off of Horobi as she held him at gunpoint. "Take Aruto to safety,"

Izu nodded silently, picking Aruto up and carrying him bridal style as she scrambled to make it past Fuwa and Yua. Behind her, Aruto could see Jin move to try and catch her arm but was immediately shot at by Yua. 

Everything else was pretty much a blur after that as Aruto was more focused on being able to keep his breathing steady and consistent. His legs hurt, badly, like never-ending, intense growing pains. He could feel the dampness of blood beneath his clothes. Despite all this, he felt at peace and safe because Izu, his Izu, had come back and he knew she wouldn't let anything happen to him.

As he slipped into unconsciousness, the last thing Aruto heard was Izu: I love you too.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Christmas, Cecile.


End file.
